1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector housing used for detachably connecting an optical connector mainly employed in optical transmissions and an optical component, an optical connector using the same optical connector housing, and a structure for connecting between an optical connector using the optical connector housing and an optical component.
2 Discussion of the Background
Recently, optical transmissions using optical fibers have been frequently employed, wherein high bit rate mounting of optical fibers is demanded. To meet the requirements of high bit rate mounting of optical fibers, studies and research have been carried out with respect to downsizing of optical connectors used to connect optical fibers and high bit rate mounting of optical modules, etc.
An MU type connector is one-fourth the size in cross-sectional area in comparison to the conventional SC type connectors. Further, recently, an MT type optical connector has been widely utilized, in which multiple optical fibers are disposed and fixed.
As shown in FIG. 15, this type of MT optical connector is formed so that an optical fiber tape ribbon 12 in which a plurality of optical fibers are disposed in parallel are inserted in a ferrule 6. In the drawing, 13 indicates a boot which protect the optical fiber tape ribbon 12, and 19 indicates a flange portion of the ferrule 6. A plurality of optical fiber insertion holes (not illustrated) are formed in the ferrule 6. Respective optical fibers of the optical fiber tape ribbon 12 are inserted into these respective optical fiber insertion holes while the tip ends of these optical fibers are exposed to the connection end face 21 of the ferrule 6.
As a means for connecting such optical fibers to each other, as shown in FIG. 14, a method has been proposed, in which, using an adapter 35 having a plurality of optical connector insertion holes 36, optical connectors 10 are inserted from both directions of the optical connector insertion holes 36 and connected to each other. As the proposed method, there is one which is disclosed in an extract B-10-34 of the 1997 Transmission Society Meeting of the Electronic Information Transmission Society.
In the proposed method, an optical connector housing 3 is provided at the optical connector 10 at one side (the left side of the drawing) of the optical connectors to be connected, thereby constituting an optical connector 10(10a) having an optical connector housing 3. The optical connector 10a and another optical connector 10b (the right side in the drawing) not provided with the optical connector housing 3 are connected to each other in an optical connector insertion hole 36, utilizing the optical connector housing 3. The optical connector housing 3 has arm portions 1 each extending from both side ends of the face (base end face) 2 at the base side, and the space put between the arm portions 1 is constituted as accommodation space of the ferrule 6 of the optical connector 10. A claw portion 4 is formed at the tip end side of the respective arm portions 1, and the respective tip ends of the arm portions 1 are constituted as a wedge-like latch structure.
In the optical connector 10a provided with the optical connector housing 3, a spring 5 is provided so as to extend from the rear end face 18 of the ferrule 6 to the face at the base end side of the optical connector housing 3. The spring 5 presses the ferrule 6 of the optical connector 10a against the optical connector 10 being an object to which the ferrule 6 is connected. The respective tip ends of the arm portions 1 of the optical connector housing 3 is provided so as to extend beyond the connection end face 21 of the ferrule 6 outwardly. The claw portions 4 at the tip ends of the arm portions 1 are caught by the flange portion 19 of the optical connector 10b illustrated at the right side in the drawing, whereby the optical connectors 10 are coupled to each other.
When attaching and detaching the optical connector 10, that is, connecting and disconnecting the optical connectors 10, a specified tool or fixture exclusively used for connection and disconnection is used. For example, when the optical connectors 10 are connected to each other, the right side optical connector 10b held by the fixture is pressed into the optical connector housing 3 and is connected to the left side optical connector 10a. Also, when disconnecting the optical connectors 10 from each other, the claw portions 4 of the left side optical connector 10a, which is caught by the flange portion 19 of the right side optical connector 10b, is removed by a wedge, and the optical connector 10b is pulled out, whereby the optical connectors 10a and 10b are disconnected from each other. In the case where the respective optical connectors 10 are inserted into the respective optical connector insertion holes 36, and connection of the optical connectors 10 is completed, the optical connectors 10 connected to each other are caused to overlap each other in the vertical direction of the drawing and they are disposed and accommodated.
However, as described, an exclusive attaching and detaching tool is required to connect the optical connectors 10 to each other and to disconnect the same from each other. Such an attaching and detaching tool will be used less in line with advances in high integrated optical connectors. Also, in the case where the optical connectors are connected to and disconnected from each other by utilizing such an attaching and detaching tool, a problem arises, by which the attaching and detaching management of optical connectors becomes cumbersome. Therefore, in the case where the optical connectors disposed at a high integration density are detachably connected to each other, and optical connectors are detachably connected to an optical module mounted on a substrate at a high integration density, it was difficult to connect the optical connectors to each other and to disconnect the same from each other, using the proposed method for connecting optical connectors.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problems, and it is therefore a first object of the invention to provide an optical connector housing which enables easy attachment and detachment of optical connectors without any need for any exclusive attachment and detachment tool, and an optical connector using the optical connector housing. In addition, it is a second object of the invention to provide an optical connector using an optical connector housing by which an optical connector can be detachably connected to an optical component such as an optical module at a high integration density, and a connection structure between the optical connector and an optical component.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the invention is constructed so as to have the following means in order to solve the problems. That is, an optical connector housing according to the invention, which is provided with arm portions extending from both end sides of the face at the base end side, space put between said arm portions is constituted as the accommodation space of a ferrule of said optical connector, comprises an engaging portion formed so as to be engaged with an object to be connected, at the tip end side of said respective arm portions, and an angle widening drive cam face, which can open the clearance between the arm portions when said ferrule is drawn near the face side of said base end side, protruding from and formed at the inner wall of said arm portions, extending from the position of the rear end face of said ferrule to be accommodated in said accommodation space to the base end side of an optical connector housing.
A first aspect of an optical connector according to the invention is featured in that it is provided with an optical connector housing thus constructed above, a ferrule is accommodated in the ferrule accommodation space of said optical connector housing, and a resilient member, which presses said ferrule against an object to be connected, secured so as to extend from the rear end face of said ferrule to the face at the base end side of the optical connector housing.
Further, a second aspect of an optical connector according to the invention is featured in that, in addition to the first aspect of the optical connector according to the invention, the tip end portions of the arm portions of an optical connector housing extend beyond the connection end face of said ferrule.
A third aspect of an optical connector according to the invention is featured in that, in addition to the first or second aspect of the optical connector according to the invention, an optical fiber protection housing is provided so that an optical fiber ribbon led out from the rear end side of a ferrule accommodated in the ferrule accommodation space of an optical connector housing is placed between both the sides thereof, or so that the outer circumferential surface thereof is covered, said optical fiber protection housing is provided in said optical connector housing in a state where it does not come out, and in a state where it can advance and retract in the extending direction of the arm portions of said optical connector housing, and a cam surface contacting portion which, when pulling said optical fiber protection housing rearwards, is brought into contact with the surface of an angle widening drive cam of the arm portions of said optical connector housing and drives so as to open the optical connector housing is formed in said optical fiber protection housing so as to protrude toward said arm portion side.
In addition, a fourth aspect of an optical connector of the invention is featured in that, in addition to the third aspect of the invention, a ferrule stopping portion to be engaged with a flange portion or in a recess portion formed at the ferrule is provided in the optical fiber protection housing.
Still further, a first aspect of a connection structure between an optical connector and an optical component according to the invention is featured in that, by an engaging portion of an optical connector in the first or second construction of the optical connector according to the invention with a portion to be engaged of an optical component being an object to be connected, said optical connector is connected to said optical component being an object to be connected, wherein when a ferrule is drawn near the rear end side of the arm portion against a pressing force of a resilient member, the rear end side of the ferrule moves along the surface of the angle widening drive cam to cause the arm portions to be widened and said engaging portion is disengaged from said portion to be engaged, whereby the connection between the optical connector and said optical component being an object to be connected is released.
Also, a second aspect of a connection structure between an optical connector and an optical component according to the invention is featured in that, by engaging an engaging portion of an optical connector in the third or fourth aspect of the optical connector according to the invention with a portion to be engaged of an optical component to be connected, said connector is connected to the optical component being an object to be connected, wherein when an optical fiber protection housing is drawn toward the rear end side thereof, the cam surface contacting portion of the optical fiber protection housing moves along the surface of an angle widening drive cam to cause the arm portions to be widened, and wherein when said engaging portion is disengaged from said portion to be engaged, the connection between the optical connector and the optical component being an object to be connected is released.
A third aspect of a connection structure between an optical connector and an optical component according to the invention is featured in that, in addition to the first or second aspect of the connection structure between an optical connector and an optical component according to the invention, a plurality of optical fibers are disposed in parallel in a ferrule of the optical connector, and optical components being objects to be connected are arrayed and formed on a substrate in an erect state in the form of an array along the surface of said substrate, wherein by an engaging portion of an optical connector housing being engaged with a portion to be engaged of an optical component being an object to be connected, said optical components being objects to be connected and said optical connector are detachably connected to each other so that a plurality of optical fibers of said respective optical connector are arrayed in a perpendicular direction with respect to the surface of said substrate.
Further, a fourth aspect of a connection structure between an optical connector and an optical component according to the invention is featured in that, in addition to the first or second aspect of the connection structure between an optical connector and an optical component according to the invention, a plurality of optical fibers are disposed in parallel in a ferrule of an optical connector, section guiding walls are arrayed and formed on a substrate in an erect state in the form of an array along the surface of said substrate, optical components being objects to be connected are disposed in an erect state between the respective section guiding walls, and the tip end sides of the respective section guiding walls protrude forwards from the connection end faces of optical components being objects to be connected, so that they become an optical connector insertion guide, wherein said optical connectors are guided by and inserted into said optical connector insertion guide, and by an engaging portion of the optical connector housing being engaged with a portion to be engaged of the optical components being objects to be connected, said respective optical components being objects to be connected are detachably connected to said optical connector.
In the invention thus constructed, arm portions extend from both end sides of the face at the base end side of an optical connector housing, and a ferrule of the optical connector is accommodated in an accommodation space of the optical connector placed between the arm portions. In the optical connector housing, an engaging portion engaged with an object to be connected is formed at the tip end side of the respective arm portions. Therefore, for example, by pressing the optical connector housing to the objects to be connected, and engaging the engaging portion with a portion to be engaged of the object to be connected such as, for example, an optical module, the optical connector can be connected to an optical component being an object to be connected.
Also, in the optical connector housing, the surface of an angle widening drive cam is formed to protrude on the inner wall of the arm portions from the position of the rear end face of a ferrule accommodated in the accommodation space, to the base end side of the optical connector housing. Therefore, when the ferrule is drawn to the face side of the base end side of the optical connector housing, the tip ends of the arm portions of the optical connector housing are widened by actions of the surface of the angle widening drive cam (by the rear end face of the ferrule being drawn to the base end side of the optical connector housing along the surface of the angle widening drive cam). Therefore, the engaging portion of the optical connector housing is disengaged from the portion to be engaged, at the side of objects being connected, whereby the optical connector is disconnected from the objects to be connected.
In addition, in such a construction that an optical fiber protection housing is provided in a ferrule accommodation space of the optical connector housing, when the optical fiber protection housing is pulled rearward, the cam surface contacting portion of the optical fiber protection housing moves along the surface of the angle widening drive cam to cause the tip ends of the arm portions to be widened as the arm portions are widened. Therefore, the engaging portion of the optical connector housing is disengaged from the portion to be engaged at the side of objects to be connected, whereby the optical connector is disconnected from the objects to be connected.
As described above, in the invention, by only engaging the engaging portion at the tip end of the arm portions of the optical connector housing with the portion to be engaged at the side of objects to be connected, it is possible to very easily connect an optical connector to objects to be connected. Besides, when disconnecting them from each other, by only drawing the ferrule of the optical connector to the base end side of the optical connector housing or pulling the optical fiber protection housing rearwards, it is possible to very easily disconnect the optical connector from the objects to be connected. Thus, in the invention, the optical connector can be easily connected to or disconnected from objects to be connected, without the use of any special connection tool.
As described above, according to an optical connector housing, an optical connector, and a connection structure between the optical connector and optical components according to the invention, it is possible to very easily detachably connect optical connectors to objects to be connected, without the use of any special connection tool. Furthermore, the construction of the optical connector housing and optical connectors is very simple. Therefore, it is possible to array optical connectors and objects to be connected such as optical modules, etc., at a high integration density.
In particular, for example, as in the third and fourth constructions of a connection structure between optical connectors and optical modules according to the invention, a plurality of optical modules are arrayed on a substrate in an erect state in the form of an array along said substrate. And, if optical connectors of the respective constructions are detachably connected to the respective optical modules, optical connectors and optical modules can be disposed at a yet higher integration density, whereby a plurality of optical fibers arrayed in an optical connector can be disposed at a higher integration density.
In an optical connector constructed so that an optical fiber protection housing is provided in a ferrule accommodation space of the optical connector housing, when disconnecting the optical connector from an object to be connected, the optical fiber ribbon leading from the rear end side of the ferrule of the optical connector is not pulled, but as shown above, the optical fiber protection housing is pulled rearward, whereby the tip ends of the arm portions of the optical connector housing are widened, and the optical connector is disconnected from the object to be connected. Thus, since the connection of the optical connector is released not by pulling the optical fiber ribbon but pulling the optical fiber protection housing, a fear that the optical fibers may be damaged can be completely prevented when disconnecting the optical connector.
Still further, in an optical fiber protection housing in which a ferrule holding portion engaged in a flange portion or a recess formed in the ferrule, by engaging the ferrule holding portion of an optical fiber protection housing with the flange portion of the ferrule or in a recess portion thereof, the optical fiber protection housing and ferrule are made integral with each other. Therefore, when pulling the optical fiber protection housing rearward, the ferrule can pulled rearward at the same time. Accordingly, when releasing the engaged optical connector, the connection between the ferrule and objects to be connected can be carried out at the same time.
Further, according to the fourth construction of a connection structure between an optical connector and optical components according to the invention, section guiding walls are arrayed and formed on a substrate in an erect state in the form of an array along the surface of the substrate, and optical components being objects to be connected are arrayed in an erect state between respective section guiding walls. Since the tip end side of the respective section guiding walls can be used as an optical connector insertion guide, connection between the optical connector and optical components being objects to be connected can be further easily carried out.